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B. X. PERRON. POOL BACK AND GAME COUNTER.

Patented Feb. 9. l886.

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E. X. PERRON. POOL RAGK AND GAME COUNTER. No. 335,689. Patented Feb. 9, 1886.

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EXIST XISTE FERRON, OF CORNWALL, ONTARIO, CANADA.

PUOL=RACK AND GAlVlE GOUNTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,689, dated February 9, 1886. Application filed July 17, 1885. Serial No. 171,842. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, Exrsr XIsTE FERRON, of the town of Cornwall, in the county of Stormont and Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain and useful I1nprovements in Pool-Racks andG-ame Counters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in game-counters, the object of the same being to provide a pool-rack and indicator of such construction that the balls may be automatically ejected from the rack and simultaneously therewith the indicator will be caused to register one.

A further object is to provide a device of the above character which shall be simple and economical in construction and durable and efficient in use; and with these ends in view my invention consists in the certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a View of the ball rack and indicator, to gcther with the connecting devices. Fig.2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the ball-rack, and Fig. 3 is a rear view of the rack.

A represents the top and back frame of the ball-rack, and B and G the side frames thereof, each of which side frames is provided. with two or more recesses, D, as the number of shelves used may require. The shelves E are hinged to the side frames, B and G, at

their ends F, the opposite ends thereof being provided with the semicircular recesses G. The shelves are alternately hinged, as shown, whereby the free end of each alternate is immediately above the secured end of the lower shelf, thereby bringing the recesses D, and the annular recesses G in such proximity to each other as to form an enlarged opening, whereby the passage of the balls is made possible. The shelves are secured at their free ends to the u night strips 11, and are secured centrally to the sliding brace I, which is movably secured in a vertical groove formed centrally in the back A. Near the center of said brace I is rigidly secured the lever J, one end of which is pivotally secured to the side of the frame by means of the pivotal bolt K, the free end thereof being secured in the slot L by means of the plate M.

To the top of the lever J is rigidly secured one end of the spiral or other spring, N, the opposite end of which is secured to the frame above the lever, whereby the lever is held in elevated or negative adjustment, and consequently the shelves E are on a horizontal plane, which causes the recesses D and G to occupy such a position relative to each other as will not admit of the passage of the balls, owing to the concave upper edges of the recesses D facing the recesses G and elevating the ball above the point of passage. The free end of the lever J is provided with the operating catch or hold 0.

The side frame, 0, is provided with the vertical groove P, for the passage of the wire or chain Q, which is secured to the upper edge of the lever J. Thus it will be seen that when the lever is pulled downwardly or exerted positively the shelves E, being actuated by means of the brace I, will be caused to occupy an inclined position, and thus cause the recesses G to meet fairly the center of the recesses D, whereby the enlarged openings above referred to are formed, and the balls will roll along the shelves from one to another, receiv ing impetus at each recess by means of the rubber, leather, or other inclined guides, R, which are secured near the center of the recesses D, with their free ends resting upon the hinged ends of the shelves E, and thus proceeding the balls travel until they pass from the rack through the opening S, formed in the center of the oppositely-inclined bottom shelves, T, from whence they drop into a suitable receptacle.

To the top of the wire Q is secured the cord U in any suitable manner, the opposite end of which passes through the pulleys a a, located above the rack and indicator, respectively, and being finally made fast to the turnbuckle b, which is secured to the hooked end of the wire a, which connects with the striking and registering mechanism.

Having fully described the construction of my invention, I will now proceed to describe the operation of the same. The pool-rack and indicator having been first adjusted in position and connected as shown in Fig. 1, and the balls having been placed in the rack, and supposing a game to have been completed, to eject the balls the lever J must be positively exerted downward, whereby the shelves E are tilted in alternate directions, and the balls will roll along the shelves and out of the rack, as described above. When thelever J is thus positively actuated, mot-ion will be transmitted to the cord U, and thence to the counter or indicator.

While I have shown and described a preferred construction of game counter or register, I make no claim in this application to such construction, 1961- 86, nor do I confine the application of the improved pool-rack to this particular construct-ion of register, but consider myself at liberty to employ it with any other register suitable for the purpose.

It is also evident that many slight changes might be resorted to, and hence I do not limit myself to any particular kind of register or location thereof, as the same might be located in any convenient place, and connected with the rack in any approved manner.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to hinge the shelves to the alternate sides of a frame and to connect the operating-rod to the front edges of the shelves, and hence I make no broad claim therefor.

In my device the shelves are alternately hinged to the sides of the frame, and the connecting operating-rod is pivoted to the rear edges of the shelves and located in a groove formed in the back of the frame, whereby the possibility of breakage is avoided and the device not liable to get out of order. The shelves, in addition, are provided with side strips, thereby strengthening the same and obviating the necessity of making the ends of the shelves extra thick to provide for the annular recess.

Having fully described my inventiomwhat I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent 1s- 1. In a pool-rack, the combination, with a frame, a series of ball supports or shelves, E, each pivoted at one end to one side of the frame, a series of shelves, E, each pivoted at one end to the opposite sides of the frame and alternating with the first-mentioned series of shelves, and the two upright strips H, secured to the free ends of the shelves E in close proximity to the sides of the frame, of a sliding rod, I, located within a recess or guide formed in the back of the frame A and pivotally connected to the rear edges of the shelves E, and a lever,.J, pivoted to the rear of the frame, the free end being movably secured in the slot L by means of the plate M, and connected with the sliding rod Iwith the free end projecting from the back of the frame, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Ina pool-rack, the combination, with a frame, the shelves E, pivoted to said frame, as shown, and the upright strips H, connecting the free ends of the shelves, as shown, of the sliding rod I, located behind the shelves and pivoted to the rear edges thereof, the operatinglever J, pivoted to the back of the frame and to the sliding rod I, and a spring, N, secured to the frame and connected with the lever J, for yieldingly holding the shelves in their elevated position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a pool-rack, the combination, with a frame having grooved or recessed sides, the

shelves pivoted to the sides of said frame, as

shown,and provided with recessed or cut-away ends, and the upright strips H, secured to the free ends of the shelves E, of thesliding rod I, located withina groove or guideway formed in the back of the frame, and a lever, J, pivoted to the back of the frame and to the rod I, all of the above parts combined and operating substantially as shown.

4. The combination, with a frame, a series of shelves pivoted in the sides thereof, as described, a centrally-located sliding rod, I, located in the back of the frame and connected to the rear edges of the shelves, an operatinglever, J, pivotally connected to the back of the frame and to the sliding rod I, andaspring for yieldingly holding the lever J in an elevated position, of a game-counter, and mechanism, substantially as described, connecting the counter and the operating-lever J, whereby all movements of the latter are transmitted to the former, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing 7 witnesses.

EXIST XIS'IE FERRON. Witnesses:

HENRY E. CARPENTER, F. W. CAREY. 

